A letter from a Social Service Provider stating that the individual receives mail at the provider's address

If no verification for a permanent address can be shown, an Address Verification Postcard can be sent to the applicant's residence.

Those under 13 years of age must sign the library application (first name only is acceptable), and must have the signature of a parent or legal guardian. Before signing the parent or legal guardian should read the letter on the reverse side of the application form.

You can print from the Library's WiFi network by installing a temporary printer driver while you are visiting the Library. This driver will be automatically removed from your laptop when it is restarted.

To download the driver, connect to the Library's WiFi network, then click on the link below for the branch you are visiting and follow the instructions. Some of the below links will not work unless you are in the Library and connected to the Library's WiFi network.

Please note that patrons using Windows 7 or Windows Vista must disable User Account Control (UAC) for wireless printing to function. Instructions for how to disable UAC are available here.

The entire community benefits from your donation of materials or funds and your Library is grateful that you think of us. Thank you for your generosity!

Cash. For a one-time donation of funds to the Contra Costa County Library, please use the PayPal donation form or the paper form if you prefer to mail a check.

Books. Begin at your Community Library. Community Library staff use many criteria when assessing donations to add to the collection. Age and condition of a title, intended audience, size of collection to which the title is being donated, specific community need, alternative means to access a title, and other factors play a role. Staff balances these criteria against the cost of owning the material (cataloging, processing, other staff costs, and storage costs) in accordance with the Library's Collection Development Plan.

Books for Friends Groups. Many of the Community Libraries are supported by Friends of the Library groups that work closely with library staff to accept & process donations. In many cases, Friends groups are offered materials for book sales. The Friends of the Library run these sales in order to generate funding for new books and library programs. Visit yourFriends of the Library page to find a description of what kinds of books your local Friends group accepts.

Bestsellers. If you purchased a copy of the latest bestseller and you're finished reading it, please consider donating it to your Community Library. Help your neighbors by helping your Library meet the demand for the latest titles!

Juvenile Hall. If you would like to buy a new book and donate it to the Orin Allen Youth Rehabilitation Facility or Juvenile Hall Library, please use their wish list on Amazon.

Leave a Library Legacy! If you wish to discuss a gift to the Library, please call the County Librarian at 925.608.7700.
If you are planning to include the Contra Costa County Library in your will, you should also consult your attorney.

All contributions to the Contra Costa County Library are tax deductible.

After reviewing the guidelines for donations at your local library do you still have other items you would like to donate?

You can request (place a hold) on any titles in the Contra Costa County Library catalog, with the exception of non-circulating materials. Titles that have available copies on the shelf may be sent from one Contra Costa County Library location to another. This is a free service.

How Long Does it Take to Get a Hold?

It may take a few days for the requested item to be transported to the requested pickup location. If there is a hold queue, you may have to wait until it's your turn. All requests are first come, first serve.

Opt-in for text (SMS) hold notices.
This can be done either with staff assistance or you may do it online via theVisual Catalog:
1. Log in to Visual Account in upper right hand corner of Visual Catalog page.
2. Select Account Summary tab.
3. On left menu, select Opt-in & Notifications.
4. Select Change Contact Info to update cell phone number and associated carrier/wireless provider.

Opt-in for text (SMS) hold notices.
This can be done either with staff assistance or you may do it online via the Visual Catalog:
1. Log in to Visual Account in upper right hand corner of Visual Catalog page.
2. Select Account Summary tab.
3. On left menu, select Opt-in & Notifications.
4. Select Change Contact Info to update cell phone number and associated
carrier/wireless provider.

LINK+ is a free service where Contra Costa County Library card holders can borrow materials not available from the Contra Costa County Library. LINK+ is a cooperative effort among many California & Nevada public and academic libraries. Use your library card to request items for pickup at your local Community Library.

Search: Click on this link, csul.iii.com, to search the LINK+ catalog, or look for "Search LINK+" on the top menu of the library catalog

Request:

Click on "Request This Item", select "Contra Costa County Library" from the drop-down menu, and click "Submit"

Return LINK+ items directly to library staff at the Service Desk at any Contra Costa County Library location .

Do not use the book drop or self-return.

Get a receipt from staff and keep it until the items are cleared from your LINK+ account. You are responsible for any LINK+ materials that have not been checked in.

Fines:

Overdue charge for LINK+ items is $1.00 per day (maximum of $5.00) per item.

The charge for lost or damaged LINK+ items is determined by the lending library and will not exceed $115.00. This charge is payable by check or money only (no debit/credit cards or cash).

Keeping Track:

Use your LINK+ account to check the status of your LINK+ requests and renew checked out items.

Use your regular Library card account to check when LINK+ items are ready for pickup, due dates and fines.

Your regular library card account will not show the specific title of the LINK+ item requested or checked out. It will be listed as "LinkPlus item#". To view the title, click on the radio button to expand the item information

Payments can be made online using a Visa or MasterCard credit card, or with a signature debit card which display the Visa or MasterCard logo.

Signature debit cards can be used at the point of sale like a credit card, however the payment is linked directly to a bank account rather than a line of credit.

IMPORTANT: Payments that are declined when using a debit card as a credit card will remain unavailable for several days as it takes the bank several days before the transaction is reconciled by the bank and hard-posted to the account. For declined transactions, the funds WILL BE RETURNED to the account after several days.

Regular debit card payment with PIN is not currently available. Credit cards cannot be used when paying through staff at a library location.

How to Pay Fines Online

From the library website, click on My Account on any Internet PC in the library or remotely at http://ccclib.org.

Click the "Library Account (Visual)" button.

Click on the "Fines and Fees" link on your account, select the fines you wish to pay, then click on the "Pay Fines" button.

You will be asked to complete the payment form with name, address, email and credit card information.

When ready, submit the form and if confirmed, the payment will be registered immediately on your account.

The Contra Costa County Library is not able to offer examination proctoring services.

In order to assist students in obtaining the testing services needed, we have compiled a list of possible exam proctors in the area. This list is merely informational and does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of any type. Please contact the agency in question for accurate and complete information.

The library charges fines to encourage customers to return materials so others can use them.

Fines owed remain on your account until paid. Materials can still be borrowed from the Library if fines on an account are under $10.00.

Accounts owing $10.00 or more will be blocked from borrowing materials and collection efforts will continue until the fines/fees are paid.

Accounts owing $50.00 or more (effective July 1, 2015) or $35.00 or more prior to July 1, 2015, will be referred to our materials recovery agency, Unique Management Services (aka: "UMS" or "Unique National Collections")

The parent or guardian of a child is responsible for any overduematerials, fines or fees on the child's account.

Each library card user is expected to monitor their library card activity. Library card activity, including information about outstanding materials, fines, or fees is accessible online by logging into your library account. You may also contact library staff for information about your account.

EBooks,eAudiobooks, eVideos, and eMagazines will automatically be returned at the end of the lending period and cannot accumulate late fees.

Determined by
lending library, not
to exceed $115.00,
including
processing fee

--

$10.00

Note: Fines accrued at the time of renewal are not canceled.

Notices

10 days overdue: The Library notifies you by email, phone, or U.S. Mail.

30 days overdue: The Library notifies you by U.S. Mail that the items are considered lost and requests the replacement cost & a $5.00 processing fee for each item.

60 days overdue: Account balances of $50.00 or more (effective July 1, 2015), or $35.00 or more (prior to July 1, 2015), are sent to a materials recovery agency Unique Management Services (UMS, aka Unique National Collections): and a $10.00 materials recovery fee is added to the library card account to cover that cost. UMS will attempt to contact the patron or their parent, if cardholder is a minor), both by phone and U. S. Mail. Accounts will remain in collection until overdue materials are returned, and/or outstnding fines and fees are paid in full, and any remaining account delinquencies are otherwise resolved.

Note: The Library does not send notices or bills for outstanding overdue fines (late fees). For accounts with balances of $50.00 or more consisting solely of overdue fines (no lost or overdue materials), UMS will send a preliminary bill on behalf of the Library, prior to initiating collection activity. The cost for this service is included in the $10.00 fee.

Payments

Fines may be paid by cash or check in person or by U.S. Mail, or online by credit or debit card. Library staff are not allowed to handle credit/debit card transactions. The library provides self-service computers on site for customers to process their credit card payments. We currently accept both VISA and MasterCard.

Refunds

Payments made for fines and fees are non-refundable, with a few exceptions. Refer to Refunds for more detailed information.

UMS & Your Credit Rating

As of June 15, 2016, library card accounts will not be credit reported. However, once an account is referred to our materials recovery and billing service, Unique National Collections, AKA Unique Management Services, or UMS), the account status will remain in collection and the account will be blocked until the overdue materials are returned in good condition, and all outstanding fines and fees are paid in full, and any remaining delinquencies otherwise resolved. Borrowing privileges will be restored once the account balance is $0.00.

10 days overdue: Library sends overdue notice by email, phone, or U.S. mail

30 days overdue: Overdue items are now set to Lost status. Library sends a bill by U.S. mail for lost items

60 DAYS OVERDUE: Account balances of 50.00 or more (effective July 1, 2015), or $35.00 or more ( prior to July 1, 2015), are sent to a materials recovery agency Unique Management Services (UMS, aka Unique National Collections); and a $10.00 materials recovery fee is added to the library card account to cover that cost. UMS will attempt to contact the cardholder or their parent (if cardholder is a minor), both by phone and U.S. Mail. Accounts will remain in collections until overdue materials are returned and/or outstanding fines and fees are paid in full, and any remaining account delinquencies are otherwise resolved.

Rossmoor Books-to-Go is a free service provided by the Walnut Creek Library and Rossmoor community volunteers.

How it WorksUse the Contra Costa County Library Online Catalog to place a hold. Select "Rossmoor Books-to-Go" as the pickup location. You can also request items by calling the Walnut Creek Library.

Volunteers deliver requested items every Thursday to the Administration office in Gateway. materials are already checked out to you for a period of 4 weeks (including delivery time).

You will receive notice by automated phone call or email THE DAY BEFORE your items are ready for you. You can pick them up and return them at the Rossmoor Administration office Mon-Fri 8:00 am-4:30 pm. Return items to the Administration office on or before the due date.

You can renew items that have no waiting lists through your online library account, or by calling 1-800-984-INFO and choosing Bookline (menu option 1).

To Make a Request
Use the Contra Costa County Library Online Catalog to place a hold. Select "Rossmoor Books-to-Go" as the pickup location. You can also request items by calling the Walnut Creek Library.

What can be requested: Contra Costa County Library books, music CDs, CD-ROM software, books on CD, magazines, and DVDs (movies).

6. Parcel information will appear on the right. Links to Property Tax info and Assessor's map for parcel are also included.

7. For Zoning information, click on the "LAYERS" option on top menu and check the box next to "Zoning".

if the property is in an unincorporated zone, this will be indicated in the property info on right side of screen.

e.g.

or the property will be identified as within a City Boundary

e.g.

8. For Flood Zone information, click on LAYERS, open the Geologic Hazard/Natural Hazard folder, and select/check "Flood Zone - FEMA". Click on the "identify" icon then on your property in the map to display the information.

Note: property OWNER NAME is not included (only owner's address included as "Mail Address"); call the Assessor's office - (925) 313-7400 -for this - they will give up to 5 owner names for free. If the APN is not known, they will transfer the call to Drafting/Mapping at 925.313.7435

Why no Owner Name online?

California Government Code 6254.21 states that "No state or local agency shall post the home address or telephone number of any elected or appointed official on the Internet without first obtaining the written permission of that individual." As the cost to collect and continuously update this information is prohibitive, the CCMap web site does not display the Assessee name information.

See also, ParcelQuest, a new simple search tool that allows you to view parcel maps, assessed values, and details about houses in a simple and easy-to-use way.

1. From the Visual Catalog, click "Log In" in the upper right, then enter your Library Card Account Number and Last Name; click "log in."

2. Click your account.

3. Click "EZ Login" in the left menu. Enter your desired username. Enter your password twice to confirm, then click "save." The next time you login, you can use your EZ Login or your Library Card account number.

4. For step-by-step instructions on changing your EZ username, changing your EZ password, or what to do if you forgot your EZ password, please see:

1. From the Visual Catalog, click "Log In" in the upper right, then enter your Library Card Account Number and Last Name; click "log in."

2. Click your account.

3. To change your EZ username, click in the left menu (under account summary), type your new EZ username and your EZ password, then click "save." A green bar confirming the change appears at the top of the screen for just a few moments before it disappears.

3a. If you don't know your password you can have the reset instructions sent to the email address listed under "contact information." Click "forgot your password?" and enter your EZ Username. Click "submit":

3b. A green bar appears at the top of the screen for just a few moments before disappearing.

3c. Check your email account for your new password (and check your spam folder too, if the info is not in your inbox).

4. To change your EZ password, click in the left menu (under account summary), type your new EZ password, type it again to confirm, type your current EZ password and then click "save." A green bar confirming the change appears at the top of the screen for just a few moments before it disappears.

If you are moving away from the area, please contact the Library so we can cancel your card. If there are outstanding materials, fines, or fees, those must be resolved before the account can be closed.

Lost or Stolen Cards

If your card is lost or stolen, notify the library immediately with your name and address or card number. Request that a "block" be placed on your account so no one can borrow items without presenting valid ID. You can replace the card on your next visit to your Community Library. Bring valid picture ID. The fee to replace a card is $1.00 for Adults and $0.50 for a child (under 13).

In the interim, if you are a Contra Costa County resident you can apply online for an e-Card, which allows you to use databases and to place holds until you are able to replace your full-service library card.

Your LINK+ account will automatically update with your new number within 24 hours of getting a replacement card.

Account Messages - Patron Restricted

There are a variety of reasons your account access may be blocked. For example, the library card needs to be renewed (every 3 years), the balance due is over $10.00, there are lost items on the account, etc. Contact us for more information.